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| "Back in the Saddle" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byAerosmith | ||||
| from the albumRocks | ||||
| B-side | "Nobody's Fault" | |||
| Released | March 22, 1977 | |||
| Recorded | February–March 1976 at Wherehouse andRecord Plant Studios | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 4:40 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producer | Jack Douglas | |||
| Aerosmith singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Back in the Saddle" is a song by Americanrock bandAerosmith. Written bySteven Tyler andJoe Perry, it was the first track on Aerosmith'sstudio albumRocks, which the band released in 1976. "Back in the Saddle" was released as the thirdsingle from the album in 1977.
It peaked at number 38 on theBillboard Hot 100. Despite being only a moderate commercial success at first, its stature grew over time to the extent that it has become one of the best known songs inthe band's discography and has been a part of numerouslive performances. In bothlyrical and instrumental terms, "Back in the Saddle" is one of the group's most aggressive sounding releases (particularly in its openlysexual themes and forcefulemotional tone) and has been compared to contemporaryhard rock andheavy metal music during the late 1970s.
The song's main riff was written by Joe Perry on aFender Bass VI, which gives the song its distinctive "growl" and was inspired by Perry's admiration ofPeter Green ofFleetwood Mac who occasionally used a similar instrument in live performances.[3]Brad Whitford plays the lead guitar part. "Back in the Saddle" also features a heavy distinctive bass line byTom Hamilton. The song is notable for the slow buildup of the drum beat and guitar riff in the beginning of the song, the sound effects of a galloping horse and whips, and screams and yodeling by Steven Tyler at the end of the song.
A real bullwhip was intended to be used for the whip effects and hours were spent trying to get it to crack. The band members ended up cut and hurt without making any progress. Eventually, the band decided the whip effects would be created by whirling a 30-foot cord from the studio, then by firing a cap gun to create the crack of the whip (the sound effects are more prominent in theQuadraphonic mix of the album (Columbia CAQ 34165)). When the song is performed in concert, Tyler often makes more noticeable lyrical references to sex. Although the lyrics were written with the simple idea of cowboys and sex, this song took on new meaning after Aerosmith reunited in 1984 and embarked on theirBack in the Saddle Tour.
Today, the song remains a staple on classic rock radio and in concert. It is arguably one of the heaviest of Aerosmith'sTop 40 singles, and is cited by rock musiciansSlash andJames Hetfield as among their favorite rock songs.
The "saddle" Tyler refers to in the song is a metaphor for several sexual positions.[citation needed]
Cash Box said that "many rhythmic changes, a great bass line and many devoted fans should carry this one in the same direction as 'Walk This Way'."[4]Record World called it "a powerful follow-up to their seething 'Walk This Way.'"[5]
Sebastian Bach covered the song on his 2007 solo albumAngel Down as a duet withGuns N' Roses frontmanAxl Rose.
Mark Slaughter,Albert Lee,Rudy Sarzo andFrankie Banali covered the song for the Aerosmith tribute albumNot the Same Old Song and Dance (Eagle Records, 1999). Additional guitars were by the album's producers,Bob Kulick andBruce Bouillet.
In 2014,Aloe Blacc covered this song for the soundtrack for the filmNeed for Speed.
In 2025, Aerosmith collaborated withYungblud to remix the track for theOne More Time EP.
